生态免疫学研究进展

随着整合生物学思想的发展,生态学与免疫学的相互渗透与交叉,产生了生态免疫学这一崭新的学科,自从其诞生虽然只有短短的十几年时间,但发展迅速。生态免疫学主要从免疫代价的视角来解释生活史权衡、性选择和种群动态变化等生态学问题。动物的免疫功能对其抵抗疾病和最终的生存起至关重要的作用,影响动物免疫的因素具有多样性和复杂性的特点,而研究动物免疫功能变化的原因和结果一直是生态免疫学研究的重要内容。免疫防御是否具有能量或资源代价,这种代价是否昂贵是生态免疫学需要回答的基本问题之一,大量的实验已表明免疫防御的代价是昂贵的。由于能量或资源不是无限的,有限的能量或资源必须在多种经常相互竞争的生理功能间进行分配,这导致了免疫功能与动物的生长、繁殖等生活史组分之间的权衡,很多的研究表明增加一个过程的投资会降低对另一过程的投资。免疫同样在性选择特征进化以及维持雌性偏爱性修饰的雄性中发挥至关重要的作用,免疫功能障碍假说认为睾丸激素负责第二性征的产生并同时具有免疫抑制作用,表达性征的代价是降低了免疫功能,这使得宿主对病原体或寄生物攻击的易感性增加,因此只有高质量的雄性个体才能充分表达性征同时又不遭受大量寄生负荷。综述了生态免疫学的概念、研究内容以及未来研究需要关注的领域。     

腾冲拟髭蟾繁殖期鸣声特征

为了研究腾冲拟髭蟾(Leptobrachium tengchongense)的繁殖期鸣声特征,2018年2月27日,利用TASCAM DR-40专业录音机,在野外录制了6只个体总共78个有效鸣声,随后利用Raven Pro?v.1.5声音分析软件对鸣声进行分析。结果表明,繁殖期的雄性腾冲拟髭蟾发出求偶鸣声及竞争鸣声两种不同类型鸣声,均为单音节鸣叫,且鸣声主频均为1.31～1.50 kHz。求偶鸣声的时长为(147±30.1)ms,所含脉冲数为(15±2.4)pulses/s;竞争鸣声为雄蟾听到附近其他个体鸣叫后所发出的较拖长的鸣声,其鸣声时长为(610±187.0)ms,所含脉冲数为(28±10.7)pulses/s。不同个体之间的鸣叫时长和鸣叫间隔存在差异,这可能与个体的体型大小有关,但需要更多的数据去证实。我们根据调查结果,分析讨论当前腾冲拟髭蟾所面临的主要威胁及其保育策略。     

非洲爪蟾BAFF及其信号通路相关基因的比较生物信息学分析

目的:对非洲爪蟾BAFF和BAFF信号通路相关基因进行了分析.方法:采用生物信息学方法对两栖类重要的模式生物-非洲爪蟾的基因组和EST数据库进行分析.结果:非洲爪蟾BAFF cDNA全长为557 bp,编码218个氨基酸.与人BAFF序列相似性为37.5％.该文一共得到了14个BAFF信号通路相关基因.通过与人BAFF信号通路进行比较,对非洲爪蟾这14个BAFF信号通路相关基因进行了分析.结论:BAFF和BAFF信号通路在进化过程中较为保守,这为进一步研究低等脊椎动物BAFF功能和信号通路具有重要的指导作用.     

非洲爪蟾基因MGC64236的克隆及初步分析

MGC64236基因是本实验室用脐静脉内皮细胞免疫的兔血清筛选非洲爪蟾cDNA文库而鉴定的一个功能未知的基因.本研究提取非洲爪蟾受精卵总RNA通过RT-PCR得到基因MGC64236的开放读码框651 bp、编码202个氨基酸;运用生物信息学研究工具进行分析,发现该基因编码的蛋白有3个潜在的跨膜域,有一保守的结构域DUF1370, 可能通过其胞内部分的磷酸化机制在介导细胞内外的信号转导中发挥重要作用;在非洲爪蟾胚胎各个发育时期用RT-PCR检测该基因的表达情况,发现在非洲爪蟾胚胎发育的几个重要时期该基因都有高表达,而在成体则特异地表达于脑和眼等神经组织;构建绿色荧光融合蛋白真核表达载体并转染HEK293细胞, 对MGC64236蛋白的亚细胞定位,发现MGC64236蛋白比较特异地表达在细胞膜.     

非洲爪蟾PAPC多克隆抗体的制备及其特异性鉴定

非洲爪蟾ParaxialProtocadherin(PAPC)是一个在爪蟾Spemann组织者特异表达的膜蛋白.它在爪蟾原肠运动阶段的汇聚延伸运动和体节发生阶段的体节边界形成,以及早期听泡的形态发生和细胞特化过程中都有重要的作用.为了研究PAPC基因在早期胚胎发育过程中的表达及其生物学功能,需要制备PAPC抗体.应用谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(glutathioneStransferase,GST)表达系统表达GST-PAPC融合蛋白,亲和纯化后用以免疫新西兰大白兔,获得PAPC多克隆抗体.免疫印迹分析发现,以1∶3000稀释的该多克隆抗体为一抗时,能够在转染了全长PAPC质粒的HEK293T细胞的蛋白质抽提物中,特异地识别出150ku的印迹条带.同时,GST-PAPC融合蛋白可以竞争性抑制该抗体对全长PAPC质粒转染细胞的蛋白质抽提物的特异性条带.用1∶500稀释的该抗体为一抗进行免疫荧光分析时,发现,PAPC多克隆抗体能够识别在HEK293T细胞中过表达以及爪蟾动物极细胞中过表达的PAPC蛋白,荧光信号定位在细胞膜上.免疫印迹分析证明,PAPC抗体能够识别爪蟾胚胎中内源表达的PAPC蛋白.     

细粒棘球绦虫水通道蛋白基因家族成员密码子偏好性分析

水通道蛋白(aquaporin, AQP)是一种主要内在蛋白家族成员,具有通透水及其他小分子溶质的功能,参与虫体渗透稳态、物质转运等过程。本研究运用CodonW、SPSS等生物信息学软件分析细粒棘球绦虫(Echinococcus granulosus)水通道蛋白基因家族成员(EgAQPs)的密码子使用偏好性,并与非洲爪蟾(Xenopus laevis)卵母细胞、酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)进行密码子偏好性比较,以期找到EgAQPs最合适的外源表达系统。结果表明EgAQPs密码子选用偏好性普遍较弱,偏好以C/G作为结尾。在密码子使用频率上,EgAQPs与非洲爪蟾卵母细胞的差异高于酵母,表明酵母表达系统可能更适合于EgAQPs表达。若要进一步提高EgAQPs在非洲爪蟾卵母细胞或酵母中的表达水平,尚需对其密码子进行优化。     

爪蟾(Xenopus laevis)的四倍体及其子一代

在爪蟾受精卵第一次有丝分裂中期进行静液压处理,抑制细胞质分裂从而得到四倍体。实验中获得三只存活了三年以上的四倍体雌性爪蟾。其中一只雌性与二倍体雄性爪蟾作人工催青得到受精卵。现已产卵三批,发育的胚胎400余,经检查子代染色体为三倍体。     

非洲爪蟾短型肽聚糖识别蛋白基因的克隆与鉴定

采用生物信息学方法首次对非洲爪蟾短型肽聚糖识别蛋白(xePGRP-S)基因进行了克隆,并对其在胚胎发育和成年爪蟾各组织中的表达状况进行了分析。xePGRP-ScDNA全长720bp,开放阅读框为549bp,编码182个氨基酸。序列比对显示xePGRP-S与其他物种PGRP-S的序列相似性在42.4%-50.5%之间。RT-PCR显示在非洲爪蟾胚胎发育至3d时可以明显检测到xePGRP-S的表达,之后呈持续性表达,且在所检测的心、肝、脾、肺、肾、肠和胃这7种组织器官中呈组成型表达。       

甘草质膜水通道蛋白GuPIP1对甘油的转运

旨在进行甘草质膜水通道蛋白GuPIP1对水和溶质通透性的鉴定.将GuPIP1全长编码区的cDNA构入非洲爪蟾卵母细胞检测系统的表达栽体psp64 Poly(A),并将体外转录获得GuPI1的cRNA显微注射入卵母细胞,使GuPIP1基因在卵母细胞中表达,通过测定卵母细胞对水和溶质的转运功能来鉴定GuPIP1的转运功能.结果表明,GuPIP1在异源表达系统非洲爪蟾卵母细胞中具水和甘油通透性,但不能转运尿素,为探讨GuPIP1在植株生理中的作用奠定基础.     

非洲爪蟾IL-6基因的克隆及生物信息学分析

生物信息学作为一门新兴学科,已经应用到生命科学、临床医药、工农业等方面。白细胞介素-6(IL-6)是机体重要的免疫因子,但在两栖类中未见报道。采用生物信息学方法对两栖类模式动物非洲爪蟾IL-6进行分析。以人IL-6基因对非洲爪蟾数据库进行搜索、分析,并采用RT-PCR方法对所得序列进行验证。结果表明,非洲爪蟾IL-6基因位于scaffold_52基因架上,具有保守的IL-6家族基序。采用生物信息新方法进行不同物种的免疫基因挖掘、克隆,是一种有效的方法。     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.